SAN DIEGO MAYOR’S RACE ERUPTS OVER LILY POND ACCUSATION

San Diego 
The damage done to Balboa Park’s iconic lily pond during a large water gun fight over the weekend caused a major clash Monday in the San Diego mayor’s race between Democratic Rep. Bob Filner and Republican City Councilman Carl DeMaio.

In a news release, Filner accused Johnathan Hale, who is in a long-term committed relationship with DeMaio, of helping organize the water-gun fight and promoting it through the news website he owns. DeMaio called it a baseless personal attack because Hale played no role in the event, and he said the accusation shows that Filner is unfit to be the next mayor.

Hale’s connection to the event appears tenuous. One of his former employees, Ken St. Pierre, was one of the organizers. A columnist at the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News website, which Hale publishes, previewed the event.

Filner seized on the connection.

“This is felony vandalism of the crown jewel of San Diego,” Filner said in a statement. “Carl deMaio’s (sic) partner reportedly helped to organize it. I call on Carl to condemn Jonathan (sic) Hale’s criminal actions. I think voters should be concerned about someone like this playing a significant role in the next mayoral administration.”

DeMaio said he was shocked by the vandalism done to Balboa Park — estimated at $10,000 — and that the perpetrators should be held fully accountable. He handed out copies of the event’s Facebook page, which listed the nine organizers (Hale wasn’t one of them). DeMaio also noted that other publications, including the San Diego Reader, publicized the event.

“Today Bob Filner sunk to a new low in politics,” he said. “Bob Filner, without any shred of evidence and in the face of clear evidence to the contrary, attacked an innocent man and labeled him a criminal. Instead of focusing on the important issues in this campaign, Bob Filner is now resorting to desperate personal attacks against my family. This is not only hurtful, it is shameful and it has no place in San Diego politics.”

DeMaio said neither he nor Hale attended or helped organize the event.

Asked to respond to DeMaio’s comments, Filner released a second statement saying that hundreds of people attended the event because Hale’s news outlet promoted it.

“I am asking for Carl to come clean on exactly what role Johnathan played in this incident,” he said. “I am deeply concerned that someone who could be so irresponsible in promoting an event like this could also potentially hold a key stake in affecting our city on a much higher level.”

DeMaio said Filner has spent too much time in Congress where divisive, mean-spirited rhetoric is the norm.

“We need a mayor who allows for a full investigation of these incidents and waits for all facts to be determined before casting judgment on who should be held accountable,” DeMaio said. “By condemning an innocent man today without any facts, Bob Filner has shown that he is absolutely unfit to lead this city.”

Monday’s dispute should lead to a lively debate when the two candidates meet as scheduled this morning. They square off at 8 a.m. at the downtown Marriott in an event hosted by the San Diego Building Owners and Managers Association.